The 10 Finest Hautlence Watches in the World
Hautlence was founded in 2004 by designers Renaud de Retz and Guillaume Tetu, who had previously worked for LVMH, TAG Heuer, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Since striking out on their own, Retz and Tetu have created watches that are not only beautiful but impeccably engineered, skillfully crafted, and made of exquisite materials, which is why Hautlence is so in-demand. It’s rare for a company this new to achieve success so quickly but that’s exactly what Hautlence has done.
Here are our picks for the ten finest Hautlence watches ever made:
Hautlence Black Ceramic – $42,606.51
The HL Black Ceramic exemplifies what makes Hautlence watches so irresistible. It not only has a huge dose of style, but it’s also a high-tech timepiece that’s a serious performer. The manually wound mechanical movement has 206 components, 24 jewels, and a regulator that produces 21,600 vibrations per hour, plus it has a power reserve of 40 hours. The calibre integrates a custom connecting rod system and the watch displays retrograde minutes, trailing seconds, and jumping hours.
Hautlence Labyrinth 01 and Labyrinth 02 –Â $12,173.29
The most innovative displays in the entire Hautlence collection of watches belong to the Labyrinth 01 and Labyrinth 02 timepieces. There are no numbers, no indexes, no chronograph, and no hands on the display, just a perplexing maze and a single metallic ball. Each model has a captivating aesthetic, and the differences between the two iterations of this model are the color schemes of the straps, cases, and displays. That aside, each works the same way, which is by not serving as a traditional timepiece at all. The Labyrinth 01 and Labyrinth 02 aren’t the most practical watches around, but they sure do meet the definition of wearable art.
Hautlence RQ 05 –Â $35,505.42
There are ordinary sports watches and then there’s the HLRQ 05, which is at once sleek, stylish, and perfect for those who prefer a sporty aesthetic. The calibre used in this timepiece is Hautlence’s house made HLQ, which drives the HLRQ 05’s fast date corrector, jumping hours, and retrograde minutes. This watch’s movement has 255 components, 32 jewels, an organ that creates 21,600 vibrations per hour, and a 40 hour power reserve. The strap has a black carbon appearance and is made of hand sewn rubberized leather, which makes it a perfect complement to the watch’s case and bezel.
Hautlence Tourbillon 01 – $89,270.77
While most Hautlence’s watches are a bit avant-garde aesthetically, the Tourbillon 01 is one that has a look that leans towards being classic. It’s not boring, however, and the artful way that it mixes textures, tones, and accents gives the Tourbillon 01 tons of interest while enabling it to be the perfect complement to any type of attire. The display features a one-minute tourbillon, dual-time indication, and hour and minute hands. Inside is a custom made mechanical automatic movement that uses a pawl winding system and is composed of 29 jewels. The power reserve on this timepiece tops three days, and it’s water resistant up to 30 meters.
Hautlence RS 01 – $32,462.10
The HLRS 01 is part of the Hautlence Atelier collection, and it’s a beautifully designed timepiece. The movement features the HL house made, manually wound mechanical calibre which has a total of 180 components, 24 jewels, and a regulator that produces 21,600 vibrations per hour — to say that this watch is precise would be an understatement. It has a power reserve of 40 hours, is water resistant to 30 meters, and has a distinctive style that’s chic and modern. A black and rose gold color palette, 18 carat rose gold crown, hands, and screws, and sleek strap make the watch look appealing and give it plenty of versatility.
Hautlence Vortex Primary – $162,310.50
Hautlence’s Vortex Primary is a limited edition timepiece that has an bold, contemporary aesthetic. A sleek black strap and case mingle with a display that features geometric blocks in blue, red, and yellow, hence its name. The case and horns are made of grade 5 titanium coated with jet black PVD, while the display’s glass is comprised of 19 3D colored sapphire crystals that have maximum scratch resistance. The calibre contains 552 components, 92 jewels, and has a power reserve of 40 hours. Just 18 of the Vortex Primary are available worldwide.
Hautlence Vortex – $169,000
The Hautlence Vortex features the same profile of the Vortex Primary, but has a different color scheme and aesthetic. Whereas the former is a more casual and playful style, this iteration has greater fashion versatility and a stronger appearance with a bit of an edge. The display shows hours, retrograde minutes, and also has a power reserve indicator — the reserve lasts a maximum of 40 hours. This watch’s movement is made of 552 components and 92 jewels, and the patented technology used to engineer and manufacture the Vortex is impressive. Along with multi-axis micro machining, Hautlence used LIGA photolithography and wire electrical discharge machining (EDM).
http://www.hautlence.com/en/collection/concepts-d-exception/vortex
Hautlence 2.5 – $192,500
One of the most exclusive watches from Hautlence is the HL2.5, of which just 28 pieces were made. It features a house made gear train, automatic winding system, and movement that contains a total of 552 components. This incredibly detailed calibre also has 92 jewels, a power reserve of 45 hours, and it produces 18,000 vibrations per hour. As far as aesthetics go, its black and red color scheme is modern and just a bit sporty. The configuration of its face is quite different from most other watches, and the unique train displays half-trailing hours.
http://www.hautlence.com/en/collection/concepts-d-exception/hl2-5
Hautlence Vida Loca Choppers – $19,781.59
The Vida Loca Choppers signature watch from Hautlence is one daring design. A hand sewn black strap with vibrant green stitching complements the image and hands on the face, and the highlight of the entire timepiece is an engraved Vida Loca Choppers symbol. The automatic mechanical movement is comprised of 45 jewels, has a 42 hour power reserve, and a chronograph. Inside is a regulator that produces 28,000 vibrations per hour to ensure it remains accurate. Not only does this watch look awesome, but it’s water resistant up to 50 meters.
Hautlence Invictus Morphos – $22,824.91
The Hautlence Invictus Morphos is an intriguing timepiece that’s a beautiful mix of textures and colors. A chocolate brown strap with bright blue stitching, display with a vibrant image, and blue hands combine to make one stunning watch. It also has a chronograph, skeletonized mechanical automatic movement, and a case made of grade 2 titanium. The display’s sapphire crystal glass has a super-durable, anti-reflective treatment to ensure that it lasts. Invictus Morphos is a limited edition timepiece, and only 250 were produced.
